MELBOURNE, Fla. (March 15, 2010) — Rick Cloutier, Melbourne International Airport’s director of operations, has joined a select group of professionals by earning the designation of Accredited Airport Executive (AAE) from the American Association of Airport Executives.

The accreditation places Cloutier among a few hundred individuals who have earned the designation in the nearly six decades the program has existed. Currently, less than 10 percent of American Association of Airport Executive members have the distinction.

To earn the designation, Cloutier successfully completed a stringent test and writing requirement, then demonstrated his knowledge of airport management, business administration and general transportation economics in a final interview by a panel of AAEs.

Cloutier began his career at the airport in 1985 as an airport maintenance employee and steadily worked his way up through several positions while attending night school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Florida in 1998, and became the airport’s director of operations in 2005. He received his master’s degree in business administration from UCF in 2008.

About AAAE:
Founded in 1928, AAAE (www.aaae.org) is the world’s largest professional organization representing the men and women who work at public-use commercial and general aviation airports. AAAE’s 5,000-plus members represent some 850 airports and hundreds of companies and organizations that support the airport industry. Headquarter in Alexandria, Va., AAAE serves its membership through results-oriented representation in Washington, D.C., and offers a wide range of industry services and professional development opportunities including training, conferences and a highly respected accreditation program.

Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport serves east Central Florida, including Brevard and Indian River counties, and is responsible for generating more than $1 billion per year in economic activity. The airport, which has three runways and a 200,000-square-foot terminal, currently serves Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, Direct Air, US Airways and Baer Air. For more information, visit www.mlbair.com.